Languedoc and Roussillon

Languedoc and Roussillon

Like its famous neighbour Provence, Languedoc-Roussillon boasts varied landscapes and rich scenery, from the western Mediterranean coastline to its sun-soaked valleys, peaks and vineyards. Its tucked-away villages and small hilltop towns are still largely untouched by tourists; the charm of French country life is alive and well. Off-the-beaten-path inns sit beside rustic restaurants frequented by locals, seducing travellers with a peek into the France of decades ago.

We have houses across the region from Sète on the lovely sandy coast west of Montpellier, and inland south west of the ancient city of Carcassonne covering the midi-Pyrénées.

Sète, interlaced with canals, is lively and colourful and great for “bucket and spade” families, with wide sandy beaches and shallow water. It’s busy in summer as the French head south to this area with good reason. However, there are plenty of cycle ways around this quite flat coastline. Dine on fresh mussels, oysters and monkfish stew, cooked seaside where dramatic views drop to turquoise waters. Seafood is best paired with Languedoc’s crisp white wine, Picpoul de Pinet, made with the region’s oldest grapes – the piquepoul. Further inland, the vineyards in Banyuls-sur-Mer produce red and white dessert wines called Banyuls.

The area south of Carcassonne we think is pretty special. With plenty of airports servicing the area, this is one of the best places to organise a large house party, and we have the perfect houses for you to have a fab family reunion or a group of friends having a get together.

Mirepoix is one of the best examples of a medieval town in the region – and there are many good ones! A Monday spent in Mirepoix is not to be missed. The market is full of interesting stalls – food, arts and crafts – with many different kinds of produce to sell. This is one of the best markets we’ve visited in France. The setting is amazing surrounded as it is by the most lovely medieval buildings and Cathedral.

Rural and untouched French countryside – at its best in the early spring and late autumn with the snow capped Pyrénées in the distance. There is a wide choice of activities available; teenagers can be tempted to try lots of outdoor pursuits including hydro speeding on the rivers, white water rafting, go-karting and cycling around from village to village (trying out the bars!). Carcassonne looks like something out of a children’s storybook when it’s seen from afar. A Unesco World Heritage Site, it is most people’s idea of the perfect medieval castle, and is not to be missed.

La F is a really special house which has been converted from an old Corbières wine store and is set in 120 acres in one of the most beautiful valleys in the Languedoc. The surrounding area is real, unspoilt France and offers a wealth of activities. Bags down, pour a glass,…

Set in 250 hectares of unspoilt undulating Mediterranean landscape surrounded by a pine forest, wild juniper, lavender, and rosemary-covered hillsides with vineyards, olive groves, and a 25 hectare grassland park opposite a lake, the Domaine de la Veine is one of the largest private estates in the Languedoc-Roussillon region and…

On the edge of the tiny village of Montouliers with its narrow cobbled streets and surrounded by lush vineyards, Maison des Vignes is that rare commodity – a large, beautifully presented and immaculate house with its own wonderful gardens and pool, yet in a village with all amenities (including a…

The fishing town of Sète with its numerous fish restaurants and canals, has natural sandy beaches and over 20km of newly built beach promenade. The villa has a wonderful beachfront position with only the promenade and keep-fit track between it and the sandy beach. Villa Fredericka is right next door for…

Lying in the rolling foothills of the Pyrenees below the hilltop village of Fanjeaux is Le Vieux Mas. Parts of this charming, restored farmhouse date back to the 11th century. The house is situated at the centre of ten acres of manicured grounds and parkland surrounding a shimmering, tiled swimming…

This beautiful 18th century stone farmhouse is situated in 148 acres of meadows and woodland inhabited by deer and wild boar between Carcassonne and Toulouse. A large family home, it can comfortably accommodate up to sixteen guests and sits in the foothills of the Pyrenees, just 3km (five minutes) from the…